Agriculture

The Somerset region has a rich agricultural history which continues today. The ready supply of water has been a major factor in fostering the prosperity of the agriculture industry. Mixed farming has been prevalent in the Brisbane Valley. Various livestock have been raised including sheep, cattle, pigs and poultry. Early crops grown included cotton and sugar cane. This changed to feed crops such as lucerne and vegetables, such as, potatoes and onions. Vineyards and orchards have also been grown. Farmers have adapted their farming practices and their produce over the years due to weather and market prices, including changing from fattening cattle to dairying and back again.
The Somerset region has remained a viable agricultural area because of the ready availability of water, the fertility of the soil, and the proximity to markets. While cattle and poultry have been staples and will continue to be so, turf, nurseries and other individual vegetable and fruit crops have been grown over the last 5 years.

Enjoy exploring the history of the Agriculture industry by browsing the items below. If you can provide more information about any of the items in this collection, please suggest an edit.